Telangana transfers IAS officer who reshared Kancha Gachibowli land row AI image
In a major reshuffle of the state's bureaucracy, Telangana transferred several senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers, including Smita Sabharwal. She recently made headlines for her involvement in a controversy over an AI-generated image linked to the Kancha Gachibowli land dispute.Sabharwal, who was the Special Chief Secretary for Youth Advancement, Tourism & Culture (YAT&C), had come under scrutiny after reposting an AI-generated Ghibli-style image on her social media account. The image depicted the ongoing land dispute near Hyderabad Central University and sparked a police inquiry.advertisementSabharwal was summoned by the Gachibowli police, where she recorded her statement and questioned the 'selective targeting' of her post.
After the inquiry, Sabharwal took to social media, stating, 'The post was reshared by 2,000 individuals on this platform. I sought clarification on whether the same action is initiated for all! If not, this raises concern about selective targeting, that in turn compromises the principles of natural justice and equality before the Law.'Sabharwal is among the 20 officers reassigned to new roles as per a government order on Sunday. She has been reassigned as the Member Secretary of the Telangana Finance Commission, a position she previously held before her stint in YAT&C. The move comes just weeks before the state is set to host the Miss World Beauty Pageant 2025, an event Sabharwal had been overseeing as part of her role in the tourism department.ROUTINE TRANSFER OR RESPONSE TO CONTROVERSY?advertisementSabharwal's reassignment, in particular, has raised eyebrows, given her prominence in the previous administration under Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao's BRS government. As the Secretary to the Chief Minister, Sabharwal had wielded significant influence, but after the Congress's electoral victory, she was moved from the Chief Minister's Office (CMO).The developments have stirred discussions in political and bureaucratic circles, with some suggesting that the transfer could be a response to the controversy surrounding Sabharwal's social media post, while others argue it reflects the natural rotation of officers in government service.While no official comment has been made by the government regarding the specific timing of Sabharwal's transfer, the reshuffle seems to coincide with transitions in Telangana governance, with a new chief secretary and key changes across various departments.OTHER BUREAUCRATS ALSO REASSIGNEDAlongside Sabharwal, several other top officials were transferred as part of the broader administrative shuffle. Shashank Goel, Director-General of the Dr. MCR HRD Institute, was moved to the role of Vice Chairman of the Centre for Good Governance, while Special Chief Secretary Jayesh Ranjan was reassigned to lead the Industry & Investment Cell in the Chief Minister's Office (CMO).Another significant transfer saw M Dana Kishore, Principal Secretary of Municipal Administration and Urban Development, moved to the Department of Labour and Employment, while K Shashanka, previously leading state flagship projects, will now head the Future City Development Authority.advertisementThe reshuffle also saw other bureaucrats, such as Sangeetha Satyanarayana and Venkata Rao, being reassigned to various key positions across health, municipal, and urban development sectors, reflecting the state government's efforts to streamline operations.
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